Game apparatus



Uct. 14, 1930. F. w. YOUNG 1,778,410

GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1927 Patented oct. 14,"193o FRANK W. YOUNG, OF VERONA, NEW JERSEY GAME APPARATUS Application filed September 14, 1927. Serial No. 219,373.

This invention relates, in one of its aspects, toa target and, in another of its aspects, to an amusement device in which the target may be embodied and vof the kind requiring an exhibition of skill on the part of the participant and appealing to his interest in the' game of baseball. n

In the illustrated embodiment the amusement device takes theform of a game yadaptked for use in amusement parks and places of like character, although it is to be understood that the invention in its broadest aspects is equally applicable for target practice of a serious nature as well as to whatl may be termed a parlor pastime.

, One objectfof the invention is a target which shall not be mutilated or destroyed by missiles projected thereagainst in any manner and which shall give an indication each time a missile strikes the target which is visible at the point from vwhich the missile is projected. Accordingly, the target is formed of a plurality of separate portions, certain of which may be displaced or caused to disappear from view when struck so that that portion of the target which is still visible will give an indication of the score made by that missile. More particularly, the target is formed of a plurality of concentric rings, lying, respectively, in offsetplanes, and pivoted with respect to a background, so that the ring struck by the missile and the higher numbered rings are ydisplaced when the target is struck. ,Y

Another object of the present invention is a game which involves the skill of the participant in throwing a missile at a target. Accordingly, a. bulls-eye target is provided whereof the respective rings are adapted to be lstruck by a missile of substantially the character and size of a baseball.

A further object of the invention, is a method of scoringfor agame of the character described which is based upon the scoring in the game of baseball to take advantage of the interest which a large proportion of the visitors to amusement parks and the like have in that game. To this end the bulls-eye of the target may represent ahome run and the outer rings, one, two and three base hits respectively, and the runner is advanced around the bases ydependent upon the hit which has been made.

The invention also seeks a practical in strumentality whereby the foregoing objects may be realized. To this end, there is depicted on a background, the representation of a baseball diamond and centrally of this background there is disposed the target heretofore mentioned. A system of lights is also installed in the background such that the position of the runner at a base may be indicated thereby, as well as the thrown balls which have missed the target, the

' lighting system being so designed as to re- 6l quire operation thereof by an attendant in order that a degree of activity and enthusiasm be exhibited by the attendant which will be contagious and serve to attract participants. v 7

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a pre- 7 ferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a View, in front elevation, showing the amusement device according to this invention and the target forming a part thereof. so Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the construction of the target and the means for resetting the n same after a shot has been registered.

Figure 3 is al wiring diagram for the indicating lights which may be incorporated in the amusement device.

At the present time, with few exceptions, the targets against which missiles are projected, such as projectiles from rifles, shot from air ries, or darts or arrows are destroyed at the point where the missile strikes. For instance, for rifle bullets, paper targets H are generally used and the bullets pass com- 9D pletely through the target and leave holes. The present invention provides a target which requires no attendants and is not destroyed either wholly orv in part when a missile strikes it. At the same time, the dis- 10G As a target per se having Wide applieasl y bility, reference Willii-rstbe had-.to FigureQ of the drawings andto the iront elevation of the target illustrated in Figure TheV border of the target, that is, that portion in which a missile striking Aiti.:receives vthe lowestpr n0 value` score isshown as being ormed'fupon a stationary vertical ba'cr ground' and' thls'background is shown :as

l formed With a circular holeV 6 oi;a"dialneter equa-lto' the l'outside dia-meter :of the first rinfg 7^. Parallel tothe background' ythere is ls-liovvira plate 8 'overlapping the hole "6 .inV

the li:baciground 5 and viforn'ied with a hole therein of 'a -diameter'less than the l'diameter to `the voutside 'diameter of the nertsnraller ring 10 of the target.

In the illustrated embodiment two'more plates 11 and 1.2" are 'shown formed ivith apertures 13 land 151:I respectively, the aperture13 -fofpla-te 11 beingequal to the outside fdia'meterof' inner ring 15 andth'e aperture '1li being of a diameter equalto lthe Adiameter of` the bulls-eye 156 which vis representedk 'on 'az plate- 17 vhavirrgfnovap'ferturi-i'and lying behind the plate 12.y These plates 8 11, 12 and 17 aremounted'upona single pivot pin 18 by means of hinges 19, and '22,' Where necessary oliset hinges as 20, and 122 so astobe movable :or ldisplaceab'le with respect to the backg'r'ciin-d 5 and are adapted normally to be retained in parallel relationship with each other and with 'the background 5 by means oa plate preferably yieldable and which may, if desired, take thefform of a pliable member 23, such as a rope,s`ecured as at 24 to the rear `laceof'the background -5 above the plates r8, 11,12 and 127 and havf 'ing' a ltendencycenstantly to retain the plates in vertical: relation by means of a yWeight 25 attachedfto its lower end. lf desiredfeach plate L8, 11, 12 and 1'7`fm'a 'y be formed with or Ycarry Aa 'guidingdevice suchy as a loop 26 through which they ropeV 23y p'asses.x Obviously, other forms of plate retaining'devices may be availed fof. such asspri-n'gs or the like which will normally retain the' plates in substantially vertical ,relation but Will yield when a plate isstruck by' a` missile. Ir -one 'or more 'or tlielplai'es srelniselred doivnf-'to a. Yhorizontali position, Vas indicated in-detted lines in Figure 2 'abeut the Vpivot Y i8 they may be resioredrto-vertieal fpssition" through instrumentality 'er any soumises resetting devises aeiiuatecl 'frei-ri the point from which the .missile Was projected. In the illustrated embodiment a reset rope 27 0r other pliable member is secured to the plate 17 vcarrying the bullseye 16 and this pliable member 27 may eX- tend forwardly to the point from vwhich the missiles are projected so that, if desired, the individual practicing upon the target may reset thetarget after eachV shot and thus require no assistantnea-r the target for that .our ose. Obv-ieusl for lon distance ranoesv ,Y v C! of the ring or bulls-eye struck togetherlyvith all higher Valued rings, is readily visible at the point from Which themissile has been projected. F rom an observation of thehighestnumbered ring still visible afterthe target has-been struck and the portion struck vdisplaced to be invisible itfisimmediately apparent that the missile struck yand knocked down the :ring having a .value immediately higher than the visible ring.`

It Will thus be readily appreciatedthat if the target is composed'of indestructible ma'- terial, that is material which Will not vbe 'affected adversely by the type of missilefused Aand vvithk the indication oi the shot clearly apparent at the pointfrom which the mislarly useful' for target practice by a single individual Wli'o Vcan thus readthe vscore ,ci each attempt and lreset 'the target'without asL sistance. Thus', Where the missile is a base'- l .l t. flO silei's proJected'that 'such a target is particuball, the target may "be made of "Wood, but A where elle missile isa bullet, the target may vbe made ofirp'on'or 'sheet-steelef suitable calilore.' kk

f *Such a target has vivi 'e applicability; vom;

such application is illustrated in connection V*With the amusement device shown in the 'drawings which is intended to representa baseball game wherein baseballs are fprc'- jected against the target and the 'runs scored if,

'areba'sed upon hits made on the target.

'The amusement device may take lthe vfe'rln of background'say theA background of 'the target previously described which -isl formed 'of a vertical plane surface having depicted thereon a baseball diamond 30 including the home plate 311 and rfirst, secondr and third bases, 82,' 33 and '345 respectively'. K. y'

Centrally olfthe diamond 30 there isillllstrated' ltl'ie 'target' 6-16 hereinbefore ydefscribed."

i ser @rais bassseaessiiaesasperati-0n the background 5 lis perf-@rated tc Jform tlife respective holes B5, (36 and '37 teo smallfcr the' missile', say vsillaseball, te passftlireugh,

erably disposed behind the respective perfo ,rations 35, 36,and 37 to illuminate the base to indicate whena runner is stationed thereat; `-Alsoyat some convenient place on the background, as shown in Figure 1 at the upper right-hand corner, four apertures 38, 39, 40 and 41 are provided substantially similar vin size to the perforations 35, 36 `and 37 in the bases, 32, 33 and 34 behind which lights 38', 39, 40 and 41 are also disposed, the first three of these to wit 38', 39 and 40 bein intended to indicate the number of outs, ywhile the fourth light 41 is intended to represent a home run.

If desired, an inclined runway 42 may be disposed between the lower edge of the background 5 and the counter or trough disposed at the place from which the ball is thrown, so that balls striking the target 6-16 or background 5 will fall to the incline 42 and roll back to the point from which the balls are thrown. Also, if desired, side walls 43 may be provided to confine the thrown balls 'within the area defined by the background 5,

and thus facilitate the recovery of wild pitches.

A wiring diagram is illustrated in Figure 3 whereby the various lights may be illuminated. Two mains 44 and 45 are illustrated as coming from a'source of electrical power 46. One of these mains, say 44, is controlled by a master switch 47 and by a plurality of individual switches 48, 49, 50, 51, 53 and 54 controlling the different lights 35', 36, 37` 38, 39, 40 and 41 behind the background 5. All of the lights are connected electrically to the other main 45 and by separate leads, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61 in series with the Aindividual switches, 48-54.

In playing the game, the target 6--16 is first arranged as indicated in Figure 2, with the plates 8, 11, 12 and 17 carrying the different rings 7, 10, 15 and the bulls eye 16 in parallel relationship with the background 5, and held in such parallel relationship by means of the weighted rope 23. A participant then throws a ball at the target. Assuming now that he strikes one of the outer rings of the target, say the outermost ring 7, he is accorded a one-base'hit, and the switch 48 is closed to energize lamp 35 thus showing a light at first base 32 since by a one-base hit the runner reaches rst base.

WV hen ring 7 of the target is struck, it is cause to fall backwardly about its point of pivot 18 against the action of the weighted rope 23 and of course carries with it the remaining and rearwardly disposed plates 11 and 12 and bulls-eye plate 17 to a horizontal position as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2. The weighted rope 23 is of course Vdisplaced asfalso shown in dotted lines'. This aiords a positive indication of which ring was struck since it is obviously the lowest valued ring no longer visible.

After one or more of the rings have been knocked down, it is necessary to restore the rings to original or vertical position, and to this end, the bulls-eye frame 17 connected to the reset rope is drawn back to vertical position by means of the reset rope which is pulled by an attendant.

, Assume now that the second thrown ball does not strike any one of the concentric rings. rlhe contestant is then accorded an out, and the attendant closes theswitch 51 to illuminate the light 38 which illuminates the first out hole 38 in the upper right hand corner of the background 5;

If the neXt ball thrown by the contestant strikes ring 10 he.is accorded a two-base hit, and the operator closes individual switch 50 to illuminate the third base 34, since the twobase hit has advanced the runner from first base to third base. And now any hitrwill score a run.

lf the third ring 15 is struck signifying a vthree-base hit, only plate 12and the bullseye plate 17 are knocked down as previously described.

If the bulls-eye 16 is struck, a home run is scored. None of the lights 35', 36', or 37 behind the bases are illuminated, but the light 41 behind the home run aperture 41 is illuminated by closing the home run switch 54. f

After the contestant has taken three tries which do not result in scores three outs have been accorded him and he is deprived of his right to continue.

The playing is continued by the contestant until he scores a run or has three outs. The run scored of course entitles him to a prize which is immediately awarded him.

In the playing of this game certain duties devolve upon the attendant. VAfter each ball is thrown, he must reset the target and oper-k ate the switches to indicate the hit or out. These activities induce the operator to a vocal expression of the score beinglmade, and the combination of his calling of the out or base hit or home run, plus his movements in operating the switches to indicate theI score being made, and to return the target to visible condition and the physical movement of portions of the target lend an atmosphere of enthusiasm to the game which is contagious and serves to attract cus tomers.

It will thus be seen that a game is provided which requires a degree of. skill which in itself is an attraction and that the scoring of this game is based upon the scoring in baseball with which practically everyone is familiar and is interested in. The construction of this amusement device is simple, durable, easily and cheaply manufactured, and readily operated. l

llO

It will also be seen that an indestructible targetis Vprovided. which has wide applicability and requires no attendant. v

VariousA modifications may be made/in the composition and configurations of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole, and in its Various aspects, as wellas in the electric circuits and in the matter of scoring. Furthermore, the target is capable of use independent'of the device with which it is shown associated. Nolimitae `tion is intended byv the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying/drawings except as indicated in the appended claims.

What I 'claim is: f l

`1; An amusementy device y comprising a i. background having depicted thereon a'baseball diamond whereof the' three bases are formed with apertures of a diameter less than the diameter of -a missile, and-said background being also formed with a plurality of apertures of substantially` similar size in speced f relation with the-representation of the base- Cil - ball'd-iam'ondfor scoring purposes, and said background being formed with a hole centrally of the diamond, a plurality of plates adapted `to'beH disposed in parallel relationship with each .other and thebackg'roun'd rearwardly thereof, a transverse l'pivot pin carried rearwardly of the background'below the holetherein, connections between'the respective plates and the pivot pin, a weighted pliable member secured to the background above the plates and depending therebehind, means to limit the'pivotal movement of the plates with respect to said background, all of sa'id'pl'ates; but the rearmost, being formed background, all of said plates, but therearmost, being formedwith apertures which decrease in diameter rearwardly, respectively, means toreset the plates in vertical position, signal means disposed behind the background behind the'respective irst and second named apertures, and means to selectively actuate the respective signal means.

In testimony whereof I alliX my signature.

' FRA-NK W. YOUNG.

with apertures which decrease in diameter withr a hole centrally of the diamond, a plurality `of plates adapted to be disposedin parallelrelationship with each other and the background rearwardly thereof',.a 'transverse Y pivot pin carried rearwardly ofthe'- background below 4the hole. therein, Y'co'nnec'tions between therespective plates and the pivot pin, a weighted pliable A.I'nemb'e'r secured t' the background above the plates anddependin'gfther'ebehind, means Yto limit v'the l pivotal movement of the plates with respect "te said ilic lie 

